Bigerfeard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Bigerfeard name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Bickford, which was the name of several places in England. The surname Bigerfeard is derived from the Old English words becca, which refers to a type of ax, and ford, which refers to a shallow place in a river.

Early Origins of the Bigerfeard family

The surname Bigerfeard was first found in Devon at Bickford Town in Plympton St. Mary parish or from Beckford Farm in Membury. [1]

"The manor of Carburrow, [in the parish of Warleggon. Cornwall] and the barton of Trevedoc, have been for a considerable time in the family of their present proprietor Arscott Bickford, Esq. of Dunsland in Devonshire. The old mansion still remains; but it is no longer the abode of grandeur." [2]

Some sources note that the family could have originated in Beckford, Gloucestershire. This parish, in the union of Winchcomb, partly in the hundred of Tibaldstone dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Beccanford in 803. [3] By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the parish was known as Beceford. [4]

In the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, there was a strong presence of the family in Gloucestershire where (Prior) de Bekeford; Adam de Beckeford; and Henry de Beckeford were listed at that time. Alex, de Bikeford was listed in Staffordshire in the same rolls. [5] Of the latter, the village of Bickford in Staffordshire survives today.

Early History of the Bigerfeard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bigerfeard research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1774, 1834 and 1709 are included under the topic Early Bigerfeard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigerfeard Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Bigerfeard has undergone many spelling variations, including Bickford, Bickerford and others.

Early Notables of the Bigerfeard family (pre 1700)

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bigerfeard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bigerfeard family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Bigerfeard were among those contributors: Stephen Bickford who settled in Warren, Maine, in the year of 1640; and other members of the family settled in New Hampshire at Henniker, Sabornton, and Nottingham..

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)